The ‘Art of Surfing’ competition and exhibition is now on display at Surf World Gold Coast.

The exhibition features contemporary and retro surfboard art by both surf artists and manufacturers, with 40 original works entered from local and interstate designers, and school groups.

Surf World’s Jak Carroll says it is the exhibition’s second year, and he has been excited both years by the dynamic array of entries.

“We’ve got a range of entries, from traditional surf board designs, to boards that look like cactus, to retro, indigenous, tribal, really a fantastic variety showcasing what surfboard art is all about.”
He says the biggest difference in entrants this year was the number of school entries.

“The local schools have really got involved, right from the kindy schools through to year 12 students, and we’ve got some really interesting art from them and they’re showing that they can be part of this surfing culture as well.”

He says the surfboard has always been a great canvas for individual expression, and the art that is intertwined with surfing is one of the things that attracts him to the surf culture.

This surf culture has always inspired art, through poster, sticker, and surfboard design.

“I think over the years there’s been some tremendously interesting art through surfing,” Jak says.

Winners were chosen in four categories: open, surf industry, retro, and schools.
Geoff Murray won the ‘retro’ category award for his surfboard titled ‘Imagine this’.

Geoff says his board (pictured) reflects his style.

“It’s a personal thing, it’s like surfing,” he says.

“It’s a matter of style in a sense that each person when they get in the water has their own style and visual art is the same thing.”

Geoff actually takes many of his painted boards out into the surf, rather than keeping them as art works.

He says it’s hard to sully his designs with board wax, and inevitably ding them, but it gets easier each time.

“The minute you put wax on it, it changes its function. You can either hang them on the wall, and they do look beautiful under fibre glass, but once the wax goes on, it’s broken in.”

Listen to the audio to hear more about the exhibition, and more of Geoff’s story.

All entries will remain on exhibition at Surf World Gold Coast until November 25.